There was a time when teachers held the keys. They decidedwhich textbooks they would use in their classrooms, what they would teach andhow they would teach it. Then publishers got behind the wheel with achievement testingand texts written by the self-same test-writing companies, soon after theyloaded up the van with programmed texts, and teachers only need to be able toread aloud. We worried about who was driving the educational system.
Now young entrepreneurs have a very different view of Americaneducation from the average teacher or man-on-the -street. Prerna Gupta, CEO ofKhush, producer of music apps thinks that we overvalue higher education in theU.S. because we do such a poor job of educating students under age 18.
Some Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are advising students toleave school and start their own businesses. For the tech-savvy, brilliantyoung person, that is probably the best option. It is not so different from thepath a young ballerina takes. Graduate from high school while emphasizing skilland excellence en pointe. Don’t worry about algebra or history. Practice yourskill under the tutelage of a master, reach as high a level as you can, then,at 35, try college or look for a second career. A successful entrepreneur can become educatedon his or her own time.
Technology is disruptive and we are in a state of flux. Guptastates,
We are in a time of convergence: teachers are incorporatingtechnology from their everyday lives to increase student engagement, while visionaryadministrators are using the momentum of grassroots digital learning movementsto move our institutions forward. Hopefully education will catch up before theSingularity arrives.
Read her article and take a look at some uses of apps in theclassroom:
Who’sdriving in your classroom? Tell the truth
